Outlander: Full Season Ultimate Collector’s Edition Available

If you’ve been waiting for a full-season release of Outlander Season 1, despite assurances that there wouldn’t be one, your wishes are about to come true – a spectacular new Ultimate Collector’s Edition full-season set will be available tomorrow, Nov. 3. And if you’ve already bought parts 1 and 2, you may want to consider using those to lend out to unsuspecting future fans and purchase this fantastic set as the one to call your own (my precioussssss). Yes, this is a spectacular complete set, and I’d like to show you why. Along with good friends Alyson Bailey (also a threeifbyspace writer) and Samantha Kraupner, we unboxed the set that Sony provided. Here’s what we found:

First, the package is huge – and heavy. The beautiful outer box contains lots and lots of goodies, so be sure to clear off plenty of space on your shelves. Second, it has EVERYTHING in it. And third, it has more than everything.

The set includes 5 BluRay discs (sorry, this set doesn’t come in a DVD version). The first 4 discs contain the same material found in Volumes I and II – all 16 episodes, including the extended version of The Reckoning, all of the deleted scenes, and the special features:

Outlander: An Epic Adaptation

Authentic in Design: The Dresses & Kilts of Outlander

Casting Outlander

On Location: Castle Leoch and the Magic of Scotland

Emerging a Scot: Cast Goes to Boot Camp

A Walk through the Sets and Stages with Ron Moore

Outlander Podcasts

Diana Gabaldon Tours Outlander

Outlander Cast & Crew Table Read

A Triangle in Time

Weaving Authentic: Making the Fabrics of Outlander

Gag Reel

The 5th BluRay disc contains quite a few additional deleted and extended scenes from episodes 101-109 (the book says through 108, but there are several scenes from The Reckoning). Some of these are expanded even beyond what is included in deleted scenes on the Vol. I discs, and they include opening commentary from Ron Moore for each on why they weren’t used, which gives a great insight into how the episodes were developed. Also on the 5th disc is last Christmas’ Yule Log feature – the castle dogs in front of a roaring fire. Too busy to actually watch an episode but want to stay connected? Put this on in the background and you’ll feel like you are just waiting for Jamie and Claire to show up.

Two additional CDs are included – covering both Bear McCreary soundtracks that were released, plus 3 bonus tracks – “Mr. & Mrs. Randall,” “The Wee Wee Man,” and “Blow, Blow Thou Winter Wind.” So if you hadn’t purchased the soundtracks, you’ll now have everything. All seven discs are housed in a heavy, full-color book featuring the show’s stunning photography. The first four pages also have a paragraph of “Inside” one of the episodes, from Matt Roberts, Anna Foerster, Terry Dresbach, and Jon Gary Steele. As with the Vol. I and II sets, you’ll get a code to enter online so you have access to the digital copy of all episodes, which you can watch anywhere on your phone, tablet or computer.

What else do you get? The set includes four beautiful hi-res 5×7″ photos, selected by the cast, with an explanation quote on the back of each, and a lovely stand up frame to put them in (one frame, switch them out hourly, daily, weekly…). And finally, each set includes a small flask – there are three different flasks available. The one that came in my set was round with “Je Suis Prest” engraved on it (as shown in the photo above) -the other two sayings are “Sassenach” and “Slainte Mthath.”

The set is NOT cheap. But considering that you get both the Vol. 1 and Vol. 2 discs, a bonus disc, and both soundtrack CDs, as well as photos and collectible flask, it’s nearly reasonable. Put it on your wish list! Starz suggests tagging someone who might be persuaded to buy it for you, and use the hashtag #GiftMeOutlander. Here are some fun images you can use for those Twitter or Facebook posts:

Frankly, when I heard about this set from Sony, I told my contact that there would be a number of unhappy fans – coming three weeks after the Vol. II release, and having heard for months that there would be no full-season release – and yes, I’ve spent quite a bit myself purchasing everything up to this point. I have no real answer for that. If your budget’s stretched, you have no one you’d like to gift your (probably well-used) existing sets to, and you can live without all the other extras, then this isn’t for you. I get that. But if Outlander is important to you, you can’t get enough, and the probably near $100 price tag doesn’t throw you too badly, you’ll want to add this to your gift list – either from your personal Santa or from you to you. Or to your best friend.

The set was first announced today with a great video from Sam, in costume, direct from the set. Missed that video? See it here:

Celebrating four years with Three If By Space. Well, um, “celebrating…” My boss has a very large display cabinet full of Star Wars and Star Trek collectibles. My kids are ok with me being a nerd. Like they have a choice. Covering Outlander and a variety of other current shows, movies and books.